Barista Whitney Heichel Was Raped, Shot By Suspect, Cops Say

Oregon barista Whitney Heichel, 21, was a happily married Starbucks worker who sparked off a massive manhunt when she failed to appear at her place of employment just blocks from her home last week.

Days later, the barista was discovered dead on a mountain near her Gresham, Oregon home, devastating her husband and family and leaving a trail of questions in the wake of her killing. With alacrity, neighbor Jonathan Holt, 24, was arrested in connection with Whitney Heichel’s disappearance and death after inconsistencies in his answers arose during questioning about the barista’s kidnapping.

Holt was arraigned after the discovered of Whitney Heichel’s body, appearing in Clackamas County Circuit Court Monday. The accused was charged with seven counts, including aggravated murder with a firearm, kidnapping, robbery, and sodomy, in relation to the Heichel case.

Per a probable cause affidavit released Monday by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Holt was waiting for Heichel outside her apartment when she emerged at around 6:45 am on the day she disappeared. Police say that Holt, an acquaintance of Whitney Heichel, asked the barista for a drive on the morning she was taken.

NBC reports that additional documents reveal details about the barista’s final hours.

According to the network, Holt disclosed the details of Heichel’s abduction and killing, admitting that after the barista agreed to drive him to his destination that he attacked her:

“According to the document, Holt told Oregon State Police Sgt. Jon Harrington Friday that Heichel agreed to give Holt a ride. About five minutes after they got into the car, Holt pulled out a handgun and forced her to drive to an area near Roslyn Lake, he told Harrington. There, he forced Heichel to engage in sexual activity and then shot the 21-year-old woman to death, according to the affidavit.”

Holt is being held without bail, and an autopsy reveals Heichel died of four gunshot wounds.